The city of Birmingham is hosting a water drive this week for people in the city of Jackson, Miss. after a water crisis there.
Jackson is under a boil notice due to the high turbidity of surface water with possible disease-causing bacteria. Officials are working on clearing the water but cannot end the boil notice until the city reports two rounds of clear samples.
Don Lupo, with the city, said Mayor Randall Woodfin is asking for water, cleaning supplies and paper products to take to residents there.
The city has teamed up with Christian Service Mission and will take donations through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Boutwell Auditorium is located at 1930 Abraham Woods Blvd. in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, in Mississippi, recent torrential rains and flooding of the Pearl River exacerbated problems at the O.B. Curtis Water Plant, which has been at the center of water woes in the capital city.
As of Sunday, the city had moved closer toward restoring water service.
"Multiple tanks are approaching full," the statement said. "We no longer have any tanks at low levels. All of Jackson should now have pressure, and most are now experiencing normal pressure."
While gains were made at the plant, additional repairs may cause fluctuations in pressure, the news release said. The total plant output of 90 pounds per square inch (PSI) exceeded the city's goal of 87 PSI.
As water pressure is restored, some officials fear the increase could break aging pipes.
Officials also expect to fully repair a minor ammonia leak by Sunday.
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said on a Sunday morning news show that the city is "a matter of days" away from water fit for consumption. Despite the gains, Lumumba said that Jackson is "still in an emergency."
The city "will be in an emergency even as the water is restored to every home and even as the boil water notice is lifted because that is the fragile state of our water treatment facility," Lumumba said in an appearance on ABC's "This Week."
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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